Operation Ghazab lil-Haq: What We know About Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions
Operation Ghazab Lil Haq was launched by the Pakistani army against Afghanistan in the early hours of Friday, February 27. Many major Afghan cities were bombed, causing great loss of life and property damage.
Pakistan launched a major military offensive against Afghanistan under Operation ‘Ghazab lil-Haq’ early on Friday, following months of clashes and reports of cross-border clashes between the Pakistani army and Taliban forces. There are also allegations that the Taliban provided a safe haven to groups that Islamabad says attacked it during this offensive.
Operation ‘Ghazab lil-Haq’ (loosely meaning “wrath for justice”) was launched in Afghanistan to attack groups allegedly carrying out cross-border terrorism on Pakistani territory, Pakistan’s information ministry said. Pakistan has also repeatedly accused the Afghan regime of harboring terrorist groups (such as Tehreek-e-Taliban) that carry out attacks and acts of terrorism in Pakistan. Before this attack, there had been clashes between the Pakistani army and the Afghan Taliban for months due to allegations of cross-border terrorism.
According to The Dawn (Pakistani media house), this military operation was launched on Thursday evening following reports that Afghan Taliban opened unprovoked fire at several points along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur districts.
This increase comes after the Taliban-led Afghan government allegedly captured more than 19 posts of the Pakistani army and captured a major headquarters in Anzar Sar in Khost Province. Afghanistan Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat wrote in a post on Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was in response to repeated attacks by Pakistan. “Massive offensive operations have begun against Pakistani army centers and military installations along the Durand Line.”
Islamabad had rejected Kabul’s casualty figures. Pakistan Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three soldiers were injured. He also claimed that the Pakistani army successfully killed more than 36 Afghan soldiers.
The Pakistani government and military claim to target terrorist military training camps. Meanwhile, the Afghan Government accused the Pakistani army of targeting civilians, local madrassas, places of worship and public properties. Innocent women, children and civilians became victims of these air strikes.
Afghan Interior Minister Sirajeddin Haqqani made a statement saying, “The last ultimatums are over, now a response befitting Pakistan will be given.” He also made a statement saying, “There would be no trace of Pakistan left.”
It is claimed that more than 133 people died and more than 200 people were injured in the military operation. The Afghan government claimed that the majority of those killed were women and children, and that the attacks caused heavy losses to property and targeted places of worship. Following the military operation, border clashes increased on the Durand Line. The situation between the two countries remains uncertain and is becoming increasingly hostile.
This article is written by Sathvik AVP, a student of Loyola Academy, Secunderabad, who is interning at Deccan Chronicle.
